Dear friends
and family
Welcome to
COLOMBIA
iBienvenidos!
Dear friends and family,
We are looking forward to welcoming you to Quindío,
Colombia, for our wedding celebration on 8 October
2022.
Since many of you have not visited Colombia before
joining us for our wedding, we wanted to provide you
with this short information booklet, which is full of tips
and information to help make your trip as special as
possible.
We hope that it proves to be interesting and useful!
With lots of love,
Anna & Christopher
Arrival
We would recommend that all of our guests from
abroad fly into Bogotá El Dorado International
Airport.
From Bogotá, you can get closer to the wedding
venues by taking an internal flight to Aeropuerto
Internacional El Edén (AXM), which is 13km
south-west of the city of Armenia, Quindío. There
are several flights a day and they take less than an
hour.
By other means of transport, this trip takes much
longer, since you have to travel over the Andes.
It is possible to take a bus from Bogotá or Medellín,
but both of these options are uncomfortable. Roads
are very windy, it’s not much cheaper than a flight,
and it can take up to 12 hours.
If staying in
Bogotá...
Bogotá is one of the highest capitals in the world, at
2,700m. Be careful of the effects of altitude sickness.
Do not exert yourselves in the first few days. If you
fall ill, you can get tablets for altitude sickness
(soroche) at the pharmacy chain Farmatodo.
Do also keep in mind that Bogotá is not warm. You
must wear a jumper, and potentially a light jacket.
Do not stay in the popular tourist neighbourhood
of La Candelaria - it is not safe. Instead stay in
Chicó, Chapinero or Usaquén.
Our hotel recommendations are Selina
(Chapinero), Selina (Parque de la 93) and Hotel
Espacio 94.
Please get in touch if you'd like recommendations
or an itinerary for Bogotá!
Leaving Bogotá
Do be wary of traffic jams when getting back to the
airport. Factor in about an hour of being stuck in
traffic.
Go by taxi. Your ride to or from the airport should
cost around 20,000 - 30,000 COP.
For international flights, make sure to arrive at least
three hours in advance for delays in check-in,
security and passport checks.
European airlines often require COVID-19 test
results in English. Depending on the airline and the
country you’re flying to, it may be best to see if
your test provider will produce certificates in
English.
Where our wedding
will take place
Our wedding will take place in Colombia’s smallest
department, Quindío.
Quindío is nestled in the Andean mountains and
part of Colombia’s coffee-growing region.
Quindío could be seen as a condensed mini-
Colombia, with a strong coffee-making culture
and many colourful colonial villages. It is also
home to some of Colombia’s best natural reserves
and beautiful landscapes.
We would recommend staying in the department’s
capital, Armenia, and using it as a base to explore
the surrounding region.
On the day
The wedding ceremony will be on Saturday 8
October 2022 at 16:00. It will take place at the
following location:
Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Café
Calle 23a Norte #14-74, Armenia, Quindío,
Colombia
A wedding reception will be hosted after the
ceremony at the following location:
Hotel Boutique El Triángulo
Km 11, Vía Aeropuerto El Edén, La Tebaida,
Quindío, Colombia
Details on travel arrangements will follow.
PCR requirement
We will be requiring PCR tests for all guests to be able to enter
the ceremony and reception venues.
For our foreign guests, we will be organising a bulk appointment
at a local test centre in Armenia. The tests will be performed
either on-site at the clinic or by a visiting physician.
Details on PCR test arrangements will follow.
Accommodation
in Armenia,
Quindío
Outside of the wedding day evening, we
would recommend staying in one of the
two following hotels in Armenia:
Armenia Hotel (45 €)
(https://armeniahotel.com.co/)
Hotel Mocawa Plaza (70 €)
(https://www.hotelmocawaplaza.com/en).
Hotel San Martín often offers rooms at
lower rates.
Climate in Quindío
The Quindío region has a tropical climate and
heavy rain can occur at any moment.
Temperatures change substantially across the
region with many individual micro-climates.
Expect nicely toasty weather for the ceremony
(23ºC-27ºC) and then hotter weather at the
reception, in a part of the region where daytime
temperatures are around 30ºC.
Colombia is right on the equator, so there are no
seasons!
What to do
in Quindío
Filandia
A beautiful and colourful colonial-style town. It is
less well-known than Salento, so retains a very
authentic feel. If you come here, you must absolutely
eat at Helena Adentro.
Jardín Botánico del Quindío
Colombia is one of the most biodiverse places in the
world, and the Jardin Botánico Quindío is a
botanical garden on another level, full of species of
plants, birds and butterflies. Going with a tour guide
is mandatory. You can book an English-speaking
tour guide for an additional fee.
What to do
in Quindío
Parque del café
A coffee-themed theme park that not only has
rollercoasters, but also some excellent shows about
coffee culture. You’ll come away entertained and
educated. Depending on interest, we will organise a
group trip here after the wedding!
Salento & Valle del Cocora
Salento is a small village that is popular with
Colombians and foreigners alike and is famous for its
picturesque colonial-style architecture and artesanías
(handcrafts). It should be paired with the Valle del
Cocora, a national park famous for its stunning open
valleys and Palma de Cera, which are the tallest
species of palm tree on the planet.
Colombian culture
We hope that you'll love Colombian
culture as much as we do!
Colombia has a rich culture shaped by a
colourful blend of Spanish, African and
indigenous influences that have melded
together over the centuries since
European colonisation.
What is Colombia
famous for?
Colombia is world-famous for its coffee,
salsa dancing, arepas, emeralds, colourful
villages, literature (Gabriel Garcia
Marquez), art (Fernando Botero),
geography, biodiversity, and the energy
and attitude of its people.
When discussing Colombia with locals,
make an effort to steer the conversation
towards these positive aspects of
Colombian culture.
For a wonderful depiction of Colombian
culture, we would recommend watching
the Disney movie Encanto before visiting!
What should I eat in
Colombia?
Some of the must-try typical dishes/foods include
sancocho, arepas, plátanos (plantains ≠ bananas),
empanadas, bandeja paisa, and avocados.
What should I
avoid?
Colombia is a very different country to how
it was in the past, but unfortunately many
people have not recognised this and still cling
to offensive stereotypes.
Above all, avoid making jokes about drugs
and violence. Such comments are likely to
come across as very arrogant and insulting,
for the reasons explored in this article (click
here).
If you would like to approach these topics in
conversation, make sure to do it seriously,
not light-heartedly. Take into account that
some Colombians may have been affected
directly by the violence of drug cartels.
Money
Many hotels and restaurants take card, but you will still need cash.
Colombia uses the Colombian Peso (COP). One euro is worth
approximately 4,300 COP at time of writing.
For security reasons, take money out of ATMs inside shopping malls
or indoors.
Try to break up large notes, and don't use $50,000 and $100,000 pesos
notes in taxis. Instead prioritise using $20,000, $10,000, $5,000 and
$2,000 ones.
It may be worth investing in a travel wallet to wear under your belt
line.
Staying Safe
The biggest safety issue is with petty theft (pick-pocketing mostly,
and some mugging). Crime levels in Colombian cities are comparable
to European cities like Barcelona, Paris and London.
All Colombians know the expression “no dar papaya” (don’t give
papaya fruit), and this can be loosely translated to “don’t put yourself
in a position where people can easily take advantage of you”.
You can avoid giving papaya by following the guidelines on the next
page:
"No dar papaya"
Don’t hail a cab from the street. Use one of the
popular apps like Cabify/Tapsi (Uber is illegal in
Colombia). There is also the option to share your
ride with a friend, so you can send your journey
to us.
Try to avoid public transport (expect Medellin’s
metro, tram and cable-car). It’s not punctual,
super crowded and there can be pickpockets.
Also, taxis in Colombia are extremely cheap.
Pay attention to your belongings and keep them
out of access from pickpockets. Don’t put bags
out of sight when sitting down at a restaurant
and if wearing a backpack, wear it at the front.
"No dar papaya"
Don’t wear expensive jewellery on the street.
Be careful when travelling in a car with a
window down. A motorcycle can very easily pass
and swipe valuables.
Don’t take drinks from strangers.
Try not to take your passport with you when you
leave the house. A photocopy may be handy.
Avoid bad neighbourhoods (see below). Only
visit during day time. It gets dark at 6pm every
day.
Try not to use your phone outside. Restrict use to
restaurants, cafés and private premises. If you
need a phone to navigate, take an old phone.
Urban areas
Cities in Colombia are distributed in a very different way to
Europe. In Europe, the centre of a city will generally be quite
wealthy and historical, and the suburbs will be a mixed bag.
Everything is very condensed.
In Colombia, the centre of a city will be a little hectic. The
north of the city will then generally be pleasant and the south
may be somewhat dangerous. Everything is very spread out.
Cities are set out in a grid pattern, like in the US.
For navigation, we recommend using Maps.ME or any other
similar offline map application.
Please contact Christopher and Anna for recommendations on
the right neighbourhoods.
Language
When travelling around Colombia, you will find that
you need to know some Spanish-language basics.
Although you will be able to get by speaking English
with some people under the age of 35 and at some
higher-end hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions,
Colombia is generally quite a monolingual country.
In particular, do not expect taxi drivers to understand
any English.
However, do not be discouraged. Colombians
generally have a very soft accent in Spanish and are
very happy to hear people making the effort to speak
in Spanish.
Useful Vocabulary
in Spanish
Hello/Hi Good morning Good afternoon Good evening
Hola Buenos días Buenas tardes Buenas noches
Yes/No Please Thank you You're welcome
Si/No Por favor Gracias Con gusto
Do you speak English? Can I get the bill please?
Habla inglés? La cuenta por favor.
Where are the toilets? How much is it?
Dónde está el baño? Cuánto vale / Cuánto sería?
Cash/Card
Where's the ATM?
Efectivo/Tarjeta
Dónde hay un cajero automático?
I don't speak Spanish
No hablo español
Basics
About Colombia
The name "Colombia"
The territory of modern day Colombia was discovered
in 1499 by Christopher Columbus' companion, Alfonso
Ojeda, and named after him as the land of Columbus.
However, the South American country's name is spelt
Colombia, with an "O" both in English and Spanish
and is often times mistaken with Columbia, spelt with
a "U" and located in the United States.
Colombia is a centralised country and its capital is
Bogota D.C., a metropolis with almost 8 million
inhabitants. It was named after its former indigenous
denomitation Bacata, meaning farmland and modified by
Spanish colonisers as Bogota to facilitate its
pronunciation.
Basics
About Colombia
The territory
Its territory extends over 1.142
million km² and has land borders
with Panama, Venezuela, Peru,
Ecuador and Brazil.
Its size compares roughly to more
than the sum of the territory of
France and Germany together.
It has access to both the Pacific
and Atlantic Ocean, with several
of its most touristic locations on
the Caribbean coast, such as
Cartagena and Santa Marta.
10 Interesting Facts
About Colombia
1.
Colombia is the Second Most Biodiverse
Country in the World
Only second to its massive neighbour Brazil. Colombia is also
one of only 17 countries in the world classified as “mega-diverse”.
One out of every 10 species on earth can be found in Colombia.
The key is its varied eco-systems. Colombia has deserts,
rainforests, Andean cloud forests, and wide-open savannahs
allowing almost every kind of organism to thrive.
2. Colombia is the #1 Most
Biodiverse Country in Birdlife
#2 in plants, fish, and amphibians, #3 in palm
trees and reptiles, and #4 in mammals. If you
love nature this is the place to experience it.
10 Interesting Facts
About Colombia
3. Colombia is #1 in Emerald Exportation
70-90% of the world’s emeralds come from Colombia! The
Colombian emerald is highly esteemed in the gemstone world
because of its deep bright green hue.
It’s the standard for quality gemstones. The rival emeralds
mined in Zambia offer a more blue-ish green hue- a less
traditional coloration.
4. Colombia is the #3 Coffee Producer in the
World
In quantity. First in quality.
10 Interesting Facts
About Colombia
5. Colombia is #2 in Flower Exportation
Colombia's position on the equator allows for some of the
straightest stemmed roses in the world. Colombia is also
home to more than 4,000 species of orchids.
6. Colombia has 102 Different Indigenous Groups.
Some Were Living in Colombia 14,000 Years Ago
The original locals. People were residing in Colombia
long before Christopher Colombus (the namesake of
Colombia) came ashore. 102 of these groups are still
present in rural Colombia today.
10 Interesting Facts
About Colombia
7. At 8,360 ft Above Sea Level Bogota is one of
the Highest Major Cities in the World
Take your time acclimatising to the cooler thinner mountainous
air of Colombia’s capital city; at 2600 m above sea level, Bogota is
a city in the sky.
Strenuous physical activity (going up the stairs, lifting heavy
objects, etc.) is discouraged, specially on the day of arrival and the
day after, as it may cause altitude sickness.
8. Colombia is Home to the World’s Tallest Palm
Trees
“Wax palms”. Native to the Cocora Valley’s humid Andean forests
these trees stretch up to 200 feet tall. Not only are they an impressive
sight shrouded in misty damp fog but they make a perfect home for
some of Colombia’s endangered bird species.
10 Interesting Facts
About Colombia
9. El Dorado- The mythical city of gold & riches
was based on a group of indigenous peoples in
Colombia
The legend of El Dorado originally developed from stories about a
sacred ritual of the Muisca tribe that has lived in present-day
Columbia since 800 BC.
10. Colombia holds the world's largest salsa festival
Colombia holds the world’s largest salsa festival every December in
Calí. Salsa is an indispensable part of Colombian identity and every
Colombian knows the lyrics of at least a couple of songs, as well as
some dance steps.
Click here for a video of two particularly adept children dancing
salsa in Medellín.
